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Sphericons

Some time ago I was interested in turning sphericons, but I found no interest here. I won't go into details about them as there is much on the net and also articles in the magazine "Woodturning". I don't read any other turning forums so this may be old stuff. If not, Wikipedia for bicones is a good start.

I wonder if some of you have made them and would comment. Especially pertinent since our interest in Charlie's innovative uses of motion. For me the interesting thing about sphericons is the surprising way they roll, especially several together. The math eludes me, but the turning and cutting and gluing not entirely and I managed to make some simple ones.

Just turn a bicone cut it apex to apex, rotate the halves and glue them together. If I'm confusing you or got it wrong, from memory there's the net or maybe someone will jump in and correct me. Hope some of you have or will give it a try and share your experience.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch
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Very clear explanation, Arch. Do you try for symetry in the two halves? When you say 'roll', do you mean roll or spin? How do they interact when together?

Reply to
LD

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Reply to
charlieb

Hey Lobby,

I did try for symmetry, but the master word is try and I have been known to fail. When twisted the asymmetric edges won't match. A single sphericon will _roll along a flat surface (kitchen table) in a wobble, but essentially straight. As distorted as they seem, multiples can be circled around a central one's single surface.

Hi Charlie,

A great sphericon reference. Thanks. Should be all anyone here needs to try turning one and will take care of any misinformation I may have posted from a bad memory. You can look up medical "pump head". :)

Hope you have or will make one and give us a pic and your always good illustrations and cogent comments. Hope others will also. If y'all don't, I'll ask and annoy rcw again in a few years if I'm still around. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch

Arch:

Please don't abandon this group for The Wreck. You CAN do both you know.

At the moment I'm semi-tied up finishing the Tight Rope Walker Ornament and working out the next turning project - The Elegant Rain Stick. Will post the url to that one as I get the info on it up on my site.

Am working out ways to incorporate a bell or two and some spring metal strips to get a Jew's Harp t w a a a a n n n g in the piece, along with the falling birdshot and ball bearings over grooves on the inside of this puppy.

BTW - PVC Schedule 40 pipe is easy to turn grooves on the inside in.

charlie b

Reply to
charlieb

Peter Rand has played with sphericons quite a bit - along with other ways of adding motion to turnings. Here's his url

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Reply to
charlieb

Seems to be a bad link.

Reply to
LD

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